Retirement

The College no longer operates a compulsory retirement age for employees. The College is committed to equal opportunities for all its employees and recognises the contributions of a diverse workforce, including the skills and experience of older employees.

Retirement Procedure

If an employee is considering retirement, they should inform their line manager and HR (see Meet the Team) in writing as far in advance as possible of their intention and, in any event, in accordance with their notice period as set out in their contract of employment.

HR will write to the employee, in good time, acknowledging the employee’s notice to retire.

The employee’s line manager will arrange a meeting with the employee to discuss retirement options, including the proposed retirement date, succession and handover plans and the rules of the relevant pension scheme (including any associated costs) if applicable.

All employees are encouraged to regularly discuss their future plans with their line managers, with, as a minimum, these discussions taking place once a year (ideally when annual appraisals are carried out). During these discussions, the line manager will discuss the employee’s performance, developmental or training needs and the College’s and employee’s future plans and expectations in the short-, medium- and long-term.

Pensions

Employees who are members of either the USS or SAUL pension schemes, should contact them upon receipt of the notification letter to discuss pension entitlements. Contact details for both schemes can be obtained through the Payroll office ( 01707 66 6654).

Retirement Briefing

The College provides a pre-retirement briefing which all retiring employees are encouraged to attend. The briefing has been developed to help ensure a smooth transition from work to retirement and details can be obtained via Staff Training & Development (01707 666987 or by email on training@rvc.ac.uk).